Automatically loading cord winder apparatus and method

Abstract

An automatically loading cord reel device which includes a cord reel housing, a rotatably contained spool with indexing slots, and a coiled spring which is coupled to said spool. A spring loaded indexing lever interacts with the indexing slots on the spool. The spool is pre-wound a fixed number of turns and the pre-wound device includes an exposed portion of a cord attachment device which is attached to the spool and extends out from a cord reeling aperture in the reel housing. The embodied cord attachment device includes a tongue-shaped strip of flexible material with an circular aperture and connected distally extending slot formed therethrough the exposed end portion of the tongue. A locking pin aperture also extends through the exposed portion of the tongue for receiving a locking pin. The pre-wound spool is thereby held in place by the locking pin to prevent unwinding. To use the device, knotted cords are placed through the readily accessible exposed cord attachment aperture and distally slid into the slot. Upon removal of the locking pin, the cords are automatically reeled inside the device to a pre-determined and/or indexably controlled length.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cord reel apparatus for automatic loading of at least one cord therein, said apparatus comprising: a reel housing including a spool cavity and a cord reeling aperture;   a spool rotatably contained within said spool cavity;   a spring means coupled to said spool which is pre-wound a fixed number of turns to provide a pre-wound spool;   a cord attachment device connected to said pre-wound spool having a cord attachment means for attaching a cord, said cord attachment means accessibly exposed outside said cord reeling aperture in said reel housing; and   a releasable locking means for engaging said exposed cord attachment device;   whereby said cord is attached to said exposed cord attachment means and said locking means is thereafter released causing said pre-wound spool to unwind and reel said attached cord into said reel housing and onto said spool.   
     
     
       2. The cord reel apparatus of claim 1, wherein said apparatus further includes a slidable lever with a handle and a pawl, said spool having indexing slots, said housing having a lever handle aperture and a lever slot, said lever slidably placed in said lever slot with said lever handle extending from said handle aperture and said pawl interacting with said indexing slots. 
     
     
       3. The cord reel apparatus of claim 2, wherein said apparatus further includes a lever spring means for biasing said pawl into said indexing slots. 
     
     
       4. The cord reel apparatus of claim 1, wherein said cord attachment device includes a flexible tongue with a distal and proximal end. 
     
     
       5. The cord reel apparatus of claim 4, wherein said flexible tongue is formed from nylon. 
     
     
       6. The cord reel apparatus of claim 4, wherein said cord attachment means includes a cord attachment aperture and a connected distally extending cord attachment slot formed through said distal end of said tongue. 
     
     
       7. The cord reel apparatus of claim 6, wherein said slot includes serrated edges. 
     
     
       8. The cord reel apparatus of claim 6, wherein said spool includes a centralized hub with an upper and lower end, said lower end including an disk with an indexably slotted edge, said upper end including a ledge formed on one side of said hub, whereby said tongue wraps around said hub and said cord attachment slot is placed over said ledge. 
     
     
       9. The cord reel apparatus of claim 4, wherein said releasable locking means includes an locking pin aperture formed through said tongue between said proximal and distal ends, and a locking pin, which fits into said locking pin aperture, whereby said locking pin fits into said locking pin aperture of said exposed tongue and prevents withdrawal of said tongue through said cord reeling aperture. 
     
     
       10. The cord reel apparatus of claim 9, wherein said locking pin is tapered to frictionally fit within said locking pin aperture. 
     
     
       11. The cord reel apparatus of claim 10, wherein said locking pin is triangular in shape. 
     
     
       12. The cord reel apparatus of claim 9, wherein said locking pin is detachably secured to said reel housing. 
     
     
       13. The cord reel apparatus of claim 4, wherein said proximal end of said tongue includes an attachment fixture and said spool includes a corresponding receiving aperture for attaching said tongue to said spool. 
     
     
       14. The cord reel apparatus of claim 1, wherein said reel housing includes an upper housing half joined with a lower housing half with said spool cavity formed there between, said spool including a central mounting aperture and said spool cavity including a corresponding spindle, said spring means including a coiled band of flexible material coupled to said spool and said spindle. 
     
     
       15. A cord reel apparatus which provides for automatic loading of at least one cord therein, said apparatus comprising: a reel housing including a spool cavity, a cord reeling aperture, and an lever slot, and lever handle aperture;   a spool having an indexably slotted disk and a hub with a ledge formed along one side, said spool rotatably contained within said spool cavity, and a spring means coupled to said spool which is pre-wound a fixed number of turns to provide a pre-wound spool;   an indexing lever with a handle and a pawl, said indexing lever slidably contained within said lever slot along with a lever spring means, said handle projecting through said lever handle aperture with said pawl biased to interact with said index slots on said disk;   a cord attachment device connected to said pre-wound spool including a flexible tongue having a proximal and distal end and including a cord attachment aperture and distally extending cord attachment slot formed therethrough which is accessibly exposed outside said cord reeling aperture in said reel housing; and   a releasable locking mechanism for engaging said exposed cord attachment device including a locking pin aperture formed through said tongue between said proximal and distal ends, and a locking pin for insertion through said locking pin aperture;   whereby said cord is attached to said exposed portion of said tongue and said locking pin is thereafter removed causing said pre-wound spool to unwind and reel said attached cord into said reel housing and onto said spool.   
     
     
       16. The cord reel apparatus of claim 15, wherein said cord attachment slot is serrated to prevent slippage of cords placed therein. 
     
     
       17. A cord reeling method which provides for automatic loading of at least one cord within a cord reeling apparatus of claim 15, said method including the steps of: tying a knot in the end of each said cord to be used with said apparatus;   placing said knot through said cord attachment aperture and sliding said cord distally into said cord attachment slot;   removing said locking pin and allowing said pre-wound spool to reel-in said attached cords into said reel housing;   controlling the length of said exposed cords with said indexing lever.